Carrie Boisclair - Learning Goal Analysis

Smith, M. (2001). Earth System Science in the Community. Armonk, New York: It's About Time, Inc.

Grade: 8

Activity 4: El Nino and Ocean Circulation

National Science Education Standards, Earth Science, Grades 5-8
Global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather. Oceans have a major
effect on climate, because water in the oceans holds a large amount of heat.

What does this standard mean?

• Weather (in the short run) and climate (in the long run) involve the transfer of energy in and out of the atmosphere.
• Solar radiation heats the landmasses, oceans, and air.
• Transfer of heat energy at the boundaries between the atmosphere, the landmasses, and the oceans results in layers of different temperatures and densities in both the ocean and atmosphere.
• The action of gravitational force on regions of different densities causes them to rise or fall - and such circulation, influenced by the rotation of the earth, produces winds and ocean currents.

What Prior knowledge do students need to understand this standard?

• Students will need to know the difference between weather and climate.
• They will need to understand density and its characteristics.
• They will need to realize how temperature causes fluctuations in weather, and inevitably climate.
• Also, students should understand that changes in weather and climate can affect agriculture which affects the entire world, not just locally.

What misconceptions might students have about the topics contained in the standard?

• Students might think that ocean currents are formed due to the "wind" pushing them around.
• It might be thought that weather and climate are interchangeable terms.
• Students might think that warmer oceans are only found around the "warmer" parts of the world, or that oceans only get warm at those areas.